On the evening of January 31, 2014, Daniel P. Jaffke, a 30-year-old Caucasian male from Indianapolis, Indiana, was tragically killed while working his second job as a pizza delivery driver. A talented local musician, Jaffke was a vocalist and guitarist for several bands, including Two O'clock Twilight. Friends and family remembered him as a selfless and dependable person with a contagious optimism, who was always willing to help others.
Jaffke was in the process of delivering pizzas to
the Capital Place Apartments on the south side of Indianapolis when the fatal encounter occurred. In a parking lot in the 4100 block of Continental Court, he was shot and robbed. His black Jeep Cherokee Laredo was stolen following the shooting. A resident of the apartment complex reported hearing a male voice pleading, 'Oh God, oh God no,' followed by a single gunshot and the sound of a vehicle door closing at approximately 6:45 p.m. Jaffke was discovered lying in the parking lot and was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His stolen vehicle was recovered the next morning in a laundromat parking lot.
The investigation into Jaffke's murder led to the arrest of 27-year-old Shawn Wilson. Wilson was apprehended days after the incident, aided by information provided by his own friends and relatives. The trial revealed that Wilson had shot Jaffke, robbed him, and taken his Jeep. Evidence presented included one of Wilson's fingerprints found inside Jaffke's recovered vehicle.
On August 6, 2014, a jury found Shawn Wilson guilty of murder, robbery, and carrying a handgun without a license. Later that month, on August 29, 2014, he was sentenced to 65 years in the Department of Correction. While Jaffke's family expressed relief that justice had been served, his mother, Donna Jaffke, articulated the enduring pain of their loss, stating that true justice would be having her son back. The case highlighted the dangers faced by delivery drivers and left a lasting impact on the Indianapolis community.
